“Where will we stay?” asked Marie.“Or will we just go the day of the funeral?”
“I will walk across to Darcy House and ask Uncle George if he would like to join me in riding to Gardiner House to consult with our new family,” Andrew decided.
Just like the announcement of Perry’s and Jane’s betrothal had been overshadowed, so was the news of Anne’s courtship. But like Jane before her, she begrudged no one, as most certainly the other news of the day took precedence.
Andrew was ushered into his uncle’s study where in addition to his uncle, he found his aunt and cousin Will already present. All three were looking as grim as he felt. He saw the opened black edges note on his uncle’s desk.“It is an incredibly sad day for the Bingleys. I assume, like us, that you will be attending the funeral and spending time with the family, especially as Will and Bingley are so close.” Andrew waited for his answer.
“Yes, we will, but we do not know if there is a decent inn in the town? We will not impose on the Bingleys at a time like this,” George stated firmly.
“You have my full agreement in that, Uncle George, but did you forget that we have a new family who lives in the area? I was going to ride over to talk to Uncle Thomas, get from him a list of options for Meryton. Would you like to join me?” Andrew suggested.
“I will. What about you, Anne, Will?” George looked to his wife.
“My place is with my friend to support her. I will change into a more sombre dress and then order the carriage for Gracechurch Street,” Anne stated resolutely.
“I will join Mother,” Will said.“Bingley will need someone to be there for him.”
With the decisions made, George Darcy called for his horse and the two men rode the short distance to Portman Square. As they arrived, they saw a carriage in front of the house, and shortly after Maddie Gardiner, Tammy and Jane Bennet, and Hattie Phillips descended the stairs, all dressed in sombre attire. They greeted the two arriving men, and as soon as the door was closed the carriage rocked into motion, conveying the ladies to the Bingley residence in support of their friends.
They were shown into Gardiner’s study where the three brothers-in-law were in discussion.“We met your wives on their way to the Bingleys as we arrived,” Andrew stated,“Aunt Anne and Will were departing for Gracechurch Street just after Uncle George and I rode here,” Andrew explained.
“We did not want to impose on the Bingleys and seek to be hosted at Netherfield; is there a good inn in Meryton?” George asked.
“Stuff and nonsense,” Bennet huffed.“We are family, and not only do we have many chambers at Longbourn, but Bennington Fields’s manor house is available and is larger than the house at Netherfield. No, you will not be staying at the Royal Crown, you will be welcome with us for as long as you wish to stay,” Bennet informed them all in a tone that brooked no opposition.
“That being the case, on behalf of Anne, my children, and myself, you have my thanks Bennet,” George inclined his head.
“The same for the Fitzwilliams,” Andrew added.
“It is not completely altruistic,” Bennet quipped.“Now you will have no option but to invite me to Pemberley to see your fabled library, Darcy.” Even though it was a day to be sad, the men grinned.“We three are about to join the ladies at the Bingley’s town home; will you join us?”
It was decided that George would ride with Bennet and his brothers, and that Andrew would lead his uncle’s horse home to collect Marie and his mother and join the rest to comfort the family. As they prepared to leave, Bennet could not but think about the fact that Lizzy would be back at Longbourn for the first time in close to fifteen years. While the catalyst was the worst of the reasons, he could not repine at the thought of her joining them at her home, which Longbourn always was and would always be.
When Andrew, Marie, Richard, and Elaine arrived at the Bingleys, the ladies were in the large drawing room comforting Martha and Louisa. Marie and Elaine joined them after expressing their condolences to the two ladies in mourning garb. Andrew and Richard, who had asked for the rest of the day off from his general when the messenger from Matlock House brought him the news, joined the men in the smaller parlour.
After the brothers expressed their sympathies to Bingley, Richard gave his friend a brief hug.“I was just telling the rest of the gentlemen that we will depart at first light on the morrow to take my father home to Netherfield,” Charles informed the Fitzwilliams.
“We, too, will depart tomorrow,” Bennet stated, speaking for him and his two brothers.
“I thought, Andrew,” George claimed Andrew’s attention,“that we should wait two days to give our hosts time to prepare to be invaded by Darcys and Fitzwilliams.”
“There is no need to delay unless you need to,” Bennet interjected before Andrew could respond.“I sent expresses to the housekeepers at both estates before we departed Gardiner House, so all will be prepared before we arrive home on the morrow.”
“If you are sure, Uncle Thomas,” Andrew verified.
“Completely.” Bennet showed the same firmness he had taken on when he insisted that he host his new family, so there was no further argument.
“In that case, what say you, Uncle George? We will depart tomorrow after we break our fasts?” Andrew asked, and his uncle nodded in approval.
“I apologise, Bingley,” Richard frowned as he looked at his long-time friend.“I will not have leave until two days prior to the funeral, so I will be there after the rest of my family.”
“Please do not make yourself uneasy, Richard,” Charles waved that aside,“I understand completely as your time is not your own. I am rather grateful that you were even able to come today.”
Bennet watched Charles Bingley with a keen eye; and he liked the changes that he marked. The irresolute and somewhat immature boy was gone, and in his place was a man; a man who had been forged in the fire of his grief, one who knew his own mind and would not defer to others. He had asked for advice, but he owned his decisions. Bennet saw some irony in the change in his neighbour. If he had been this version of himself prior to Jane meeting Perry…who knew what would have been for he would have approved of this man for his Jane; the boy he had been was gone.
“Andrew, would you come see me this evening? I need to discuss something with you,” Bennet asked quietly so as not to arouse everyone else’s attention once he remembered that he needed to talk to Andrew and did not want to defer the conversation any longer.
Jane was sitting in the drawing room with her friend, comforting her as best she could while Tammy sat on one side of Martha and Hattie the other. Martha was gratified that so many of her friends had come to give her their full support. As sad as she was, she knew that she would not be going through this horrid time on her own with just her immediate family. Charles had confirmed that he had sent notices to her widowed mother and siblings, and she was confident that they would join the Bingleys who were travelling from Scarborough. On hearing this Tammy quietly offered to host any of their family at their two estates if they did not have space at Netherfield.
